- Live! Casino Virginia opened Thursday evening as the state's fifth casino location.
- Construction wraps in 2028 on the full-scale property featuring 1,600 gaming machines, a book for sports bets, eight places to eat, and 200 hotel accommodations.
PETERSBURG, Va. - Virginia's fifth casino opened Thursday at 5 p.m. as Live! Casino Virginia welcomed its first public guests. The temporary venue brings new gambling choices to Central Virginia, with strong interest coming from Richmond area residents.
Sitting at 301 Wagner Road just off Interstate 95, the climate-controlled 75,000-square-foot space holds 926 slot machines plus 32 live-dealer tables offering legal blackjack and additional games. The crew spent almost 10 months getting ready for opening day, according to General Manager Penny Parayo.
Petersburg secured this opportunity after Richmond voters rejected casino proposals twice. For Richmond area residents—a metropolitan population of approximately 1.3 million people—this becomes the nearest access to Virginia blackjack sites at about 30 minutes driving distance. The property joins casinos in Danville, Bristol, Portsmouth, and Norfolk that opened following a 2020 voter-approved amendment legalizing five casinos and sports betting statewide.
Cordish Companies, the Maryland-based operator behind the project, expects the temporary casino to create 500 jobs including 180 dealer positions. Cordish delegates gave Petersburg officials a $15 million check during the ribbon-cutting event on Thursday. The property is expected to generate $240 million in tax revenue year, which is a significant amount for a city with only 34,000 residents.
A high-limit gaming area serves players seeking elevated wagers. Luckies Kitchen provides food service throughout most hours, sourcing menu items from local establishments like Saucy's BBQ and Griffin Lounge Pastries.
The casino held an invitation-only preview January 20 for advance registrants. All proceeds benefited Feed More and the John Randolph Foundation. The Virginia Lottery Board granted final licensing approval January 15.
The first stage of Cordish and Bruce Smith Enterprise's development collaboration is represented by this tent structure. The permanent Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia opens in 2028 with 1,600 slots, 65 table games, sports betting, eight restaurants, 200 hotel rooms, and a 4,000-capacity entertainment venue across 450,000 square feet. Plans for the future location are still unknown, however the interim building does not currently have a poker room.
This marks the fifth Live!-branded casino in the United States, joining properties in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana.